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Jeffrey's Trackside Diner, December 2016 at Durango, CO Locked

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Posted by howmus on Friday, December 30, 2016 11:29 AM

Mornin'........ Ahhhhhh..... Ahem!  Afternoon Folks!  I appear to be a bit late for breakfast I see.

Chloe, I'll have a Rueben Sandwich, potatoe chips and the obligatory Dill Picklle to go along with another cup of dark roast coffee for lunch, please.

Spent all yesterday from mid afternoon to mid evening upgrading the iMac OS to Big Rocky Mountain (Sierra).  Now my laptop has the older OS (Loud Sousa March aka El Capitan).  Lots of new bells and whistles, some of which are just annoying, so i removed as many of the annoying thingies as I could and kept all the stuff I fiond useful.  The upgrade went smoothly, just took time.  Then I upgraded a whole bunch of other items and downloaded Flash 6 which allows me to use older (Legacy) programs like Photoshop 5.1 and Indesign 5.5.  Has a lot of stuff I will never use like Siri, iBooks, and Facetime.  Only reason I upgraded is for the improved security of the new OS and that I I don't upgrade now, the next one probably can't be done on my now old iMac....

 ROR, Is that a Steinway 9' Concert Grand???  Niiiiiiiicccccccceeeee!!!  Glad the concert went well.  Don't feel bad at all about memory glitches...  I have had quite a few myself as a professional singer!  Went to a concert by Robert Merrill back in the 1970's at Samuel Clemens Theater in Elmira.  He completely lost his way on one aria, stopped and pardoned himself to the audience and started again.  Got to the same spot and once again messed up.  He appologized once again saying he has trouble with that particular piece for some reason and started again, this time looking over the pianist's shoulder.  Got past that spot, came back to the front of the stage and finished the song.  Instantly recieved a major standing ovation!!!  He never lost his cool and took the mess-up in stride.  Happens to the greatest!!!

Waiting for a phone call to find out when my new washer will arrive...  catch you all later!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Friday, December 30, 2016 11:31 AM

howmus
Is that a Steinway 9' Concert Grand?

 

Steinway is a TUNNEL (used by the (7) Train) under the East River.

It connects to Steinway Street. Did you know that they made Pianos up there?

 

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by CNCharlie on Friday, December 30, 2016 12:20 PM

Good Afternoon,

Just sitting here enjoying a coffee before I set out on my walk which means going around and around in the house as I need excercise but can't go outside. Besides walking with a catheter isn't really the easiest. Luckily I get it out next Wednesday as well as the surgery staples. Looking forward to that but then I have to start the process of learning bladder control all over again. At least there isn't any pain at all from the surgery.

RoR, congrats on your recital. I really admire you for pushing yourself like that. My wife has an uncle who is 80 and in grade 6 piano so I guess you are never too old. My wife is a very accomplished pianist but she doesn't share your enthusiasim for Phillip Glass. She does like to play Eric Satie though. 

Have a great day,

CN Charlie

 

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Posted by FRRYKid on Friday, December 30, 2016 12:32 PM

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Hard to believe that we're already to the end of another year.

Depending on what the weather decides to do, I should be able to finally get the U25s home to the layout. Due to weather and illness, I was unable to go to the ranch for Christmas. (First time, I think, that I haven't spent Christmas at the ranch.) I was, however, able to get some work on projects. It's very possible that I might be able to get the enginehouse and the SD45 rework finally done.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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Posted by angelob6660 on Friday, December 30, 2016 1:13 PM

Afternoon Diners,

ROR- Isn't it nice to get back into an instrument like the piano.

I got a over cared away with the 1950-1960s New York Central freight cars. It's slightly over taking my modern era layout for the time being. All I need to do is organization and relax.

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by galaxy on Friday, December 30, 2016 2:05 PM

Heartland Division CB&Q

Howdy .. 

Are any of you thinking of New Years resolutions pertaining to your model railroads ?  

My new years resolution is to at least get the trains out of boxes and at least LQQK at them.
Then think about building a new layout. it will require new tracks and switches not to mention new layout materials,
My old one will become MOH's for MOH's desired  Nscale layout. it 3.5' x 5.1', should make a nice layout for N scale.
Assuming we stay together, that is.
 
HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS, HAPPY NEW YEAR FILLED WITH JOY< BOTH TRAIN FILLED AND OTHERWISE.
-G

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by up831 on Friday, December 30, 2016 2:30 PM

Good Afternoon Diners,

Flo, I'll have an extra large cup of coffee, with lots of cream, please.

Wow!  2016 is almost over.  Where did the time go?  Whether it was a good year or a bad one, it certainly was eventful.

Ride On:  glad the recital went well.  That looked like a well cared for Steinway.  For your next recital (note the optimism), Big Smile perhaps you could record it and post a link so we can enjoy it.

Ray:  That's a great story.  Sometimes there's just no place to hide.  He showed great character in the way he handled it.

I picked up a little book on the Beatles in the close out rack at a book store.  I knew the story of the Beatles from way back, but nonetheless I started reading and couldn't put it down.  What was a little different in this book was that it dwelled a little more on the events in Hamburg like giving the address of the Indra Club and the Kaiserkeller.  I was able to look them up on iPad maps and found pictures on Google images.  Fascinating!  At least it was to me.

So, I wish everyone a healthy and prosperous new year, and for our MRRing, from Sir Winston Churchill, "Never give up!  Never! Never! Never! Never!"

Big SmileBig Smile

Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.

Less is more,...more or less!

Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)

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Posted by CGW121 on Friday, December 30, 2016 2:40 PM

A way of testing your track work.

 

My son called me,seems like their furnace took a dump in the middle of the night. He ask if the wife and kids could come over to my house and keep warm, of course I said yes. Lucas, who is 6, wanted to run trains so for 2 to 3 hours we were down stairs and he was running a proto gp7. He is a controled operator esp for a 6 year old. But there was no derailments!! Seems like if there is wonky track the visitors will find it. Guess I did an ok job.

 

                                Mike

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Friday, December 30, 2016 3:06 PM

Howdy everybody .

I finally had some layout time today. I posted in WPF my Empire Builder which I am running today. 

Galaxy ... Thanks for answerring the question about New Years Resoltuion.... I encourage you to do what you can towards accomplishing what you want. 

Richard ... Glad to her the recitl went well You are ending the near on a possitive note so to speak. 

CN Charlie.... Sounds like you are recovering as well as can be expected and that is good news. I don't envy you having that kind of surgery. I am hoping to hear more good news from you. 

Anybody else have a model railroad New Years Resoltion ? 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by herrinchoker on Friday, December 30, 2016 5:44 PM

Wishing all a Healthy, Happy New Year--

Storm here was mostly rain, became a rain/snow mix around 2100--we ended up with around 5 inches of white granular ice. Will use tractor with a bucket and back blade to shove it around tomorrow.

herrinchoker

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, December 30, 2016 6:31 PM

Howmus That's a terrible story but traveling to a foreign country without any thought to health insurance, when you have a terrible disease such as that (which I previously never heard of) is stupid. $19K for a chest tube is a rip off.  You can buy a chest tube kit for $200 on the internet. 

However when Hopkins has VIP foreign patients, they don't pay what medicare pays; they pay full freight.  OTOH they get concierge service.

I know 2 people, one traveled to Spain and had to pay quite a lot for a appendectomy.  The other got a gangrenous gallbladder in Italy, almost died but didn't pay much at all. 

BMW motorcyclists tend to travel in crazy places and there is a health/evacuation insurance plan for a reasonable amount of money.  LONG WAY ROUND is a good flick where Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman cycle across Europe, Russia and Mongolia.  Check out the local Mongolian soup. 

All of us who travel outside the US should investigate if we are covered by our health insurance. 

Everyone have a safe New Years Eve.  We will probably stay home although we are invited out.  I have no desire to stay up late and eat and drink too much watching Kathy Griffin trying to do whatever her end game is with Anderson Cooper.  I phrased that in such a way that Cuzin' Vinnie doesn't have anything to censor.  Big Smile

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by angelob6660 on Friday, December 30, 2016 7:04 PM

Evening Diners,

My New year's resolutions are: (1) Try to build a door layout. (2) Finish buying freight cars and locomotives for the 50-60s. (3) Start buying structures, figures, and vehicles. (4) Spend less, save more other than trains. (Hard for me to say.) (5) Stop doubting myself on layout designs and try pick one.

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by howmus on Friday, December 30, 2016 8:14 PM

BigDaddy
All of us who travel outside the US should investigate if we are covered by our health insurance.

Yep....  Just one of those things they didn't think about!  My sister travels to the "Very Far",  often to countries that end in "stan".  The companies organizing the trip have health insurance as a bold faced must do for the clients every time....  Heck, for me just going into Canada to conventions I always contact both my health insurance (they do have in writing in the book I get from them that I am covered in Canada and several other countries) and my Auto Insurance to be sure I have all the proper documentation I need.  People need to plan wizely.  For Sara, the cost was the surgery to put in in the tube much more than the tube itself....  They probably just went over to Home Cheapo and got some tubing......  LOL  I am just very happy they are back home with some family and many friends in the Nashville area getting the best medical treatment now! 

Evenin' folks!

Janie, just a cup of decaf for me right now.  Please and Thank you Ma'am!

The new washer is installed down cellar and the old one has gone to the great recycling center to be disposed of, I guess.  Tomorrow I will do some laundry to have a chance to see how it works....

I will be making an old family Beef BBQ recipe for New Years Eve and taking it out to my son's house where we see the new year in....  Weather tonight and tomorrow will involve something we call "Lake Effect" and my son has to w*rk so I hope it doesn't get too bad out there....  He said there were some nasty spots coming home tonight.  He is giving a friend who works at the same place a ride as his friens totalled his car in some bad weather a few days ago...  I guess the road out where he lives is the worst.  main raods they take good care of around these parts.

Have a good one, stay safe, and warm!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by RideOnRoad on Friday, December 30, 2016 10:19 PM

howmus
. . .ROR, Is that a Steinway 9' Concert Grand???  Niiiiiiiicccccccceeeee!!!. . .

Yes it is,  two-year old Model D. I figure if you are going to have a recital, you might as well have one in style. We bought our Boston from this Steinway dealer and they threw in the use of the recital hall with the Model D.

CNCharlie
. . .My wife is a very accomplished pianist but she doesn't share your enthusiasim for Phillip Glass. She does like to play Eric Satie though. . .

I love Satie. Years ago I learned one of his Gymnopedies. Glass is definitely an acquired taste. My father introduced me to Glass' music around 25 years ago. I really enjoy his music, as do two of my children. My wife tolerates his music and my other daughter is not a fan.

up831
. . .Ride On:  glad the recital went well.  That looked like a well cared for Steinway.  For your next recital (note the optimism), perhaps you could record it and post a link so we can enjoy it. . .

We actually recorded this one, but I have not watched it yet. Too close, too soon. I may see about editing out one piece, possibly the Chopin Prelude, and posting a link.

Richard

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Posted by cudaken on Friday, December 30, 2016 10:33 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed will have Crown Royal and I will have a Beer please.

 Work was sloooow. Only 1 customer to speak of and they where only thinking about a futton. Stade busy doing the year end inventory.

 Ed How did your train night go Thursday, eveyone have a good time? Drinks

 YGW Guess I did not make my self clear on the photos. Before you up load the photo, rename it. On the first photo I am posting I named it 12-29-16 1 so I knew which text went with it. If my chances you don't want to cahnge the orginal phot name, send a copy to your docments. That is how I do it.

 

12/29/16 - equipment has arrived to pour footings. First truck is the crew truck, next vehicle is the " pump truck" and of course the last vehicle is the concrete truck.

12/29/16 - another view of the equipment all lined up and ready to pour.
 I will do more of them Saturday.
 Trains are running Yes
 Later, Ken

I hate Rust

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 31, 2016 4:52 AM

A little over 12 hours to go until the 2016 will be replaced by 2017!

I can´t say it has been a good year, nor a pirelli or micheline Wink!

Seriously, 2016 has been the worst year for us and for the country we live in and there is only very little hope that  it won´t get worse next year, let alone improve.

For the first time in many years, I have even come up with some New Year´s resolutions. Not the usual ones, like giving up smoking (I have done that successfully some time ago), or drinking, exercising more and eat less and the stuff like that. My resolutions are

  • not to lose faith
  • not to lose the remnants of my rather sick sense of humor
  • attempt to stay afloat as much as possible in trying times
  • feed the piggy bank labeled "The Great Escape" as much as possible, even if I have to sacrifice my beloved hobby, so Petra and I will one day have the option to get out and live the life we so dearly miss - a sedentary life in peace, love and friendship.

A Happy New Year and blessings to you all for the year ahead of us!

 

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Posted by Lonnie Utah on Saturday, December 31, 2016 6:47 AM

The wife kid and I spent the day yesterday up at Golden Spike National Historic Site watching the UP 119 run at the annual winter steam festival. It was cold, but lots of fun. 

 

https://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

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Posted by Dagne on Saturday, December 31, 2016 7:39 AM

Happy New Year to you all from Japan.  I haven't been on here for a long time, but it's nice to be back and to see your names and posts again.  I was saddened to read the names of some of the people who have passed away in the last few years.

I'm still working for NCIS here at NAF Atsugi, near Yokohama.  I keep pretty busy, but most of my evenings are free now that I've quit teaching English; so, I'll try to contribute more in the future.

Don

See all the Don's Dream World layouts at http://ddwmodelrailroad.com

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Saturday, December 31, 2016 8:06 AM

Good morning all.

Brunhilda - Ham & Cheese omelet, whole wheat toast, and OJ please. Thanks.

Weather - Fortis is over in my area, but it is still windy. Very windy. That is making it feel colder, so "old man winter" is making his presence felt.... Even when it isn't "coming down" (or is it "piling up" that would be a better statement?) so to speak... Did I mention it was very windy?

Family - Somehow, my uncle has managed to stay breathing, although his vitals still continue to fall. We have not expected him to last anywhere near this long, and we are hoping he is not feeling pain. Without too much detail, per rules, I do have a slightly different view of death than most, as I view it as a unnatural event, thus the reason it is so difficult to deal with. 

No Vinnie, I am not taking that last statement any further... It's all cool.

As terrible as it sounds, we are hoping for a peaceful end to his suffering soon. 

My uncle has dealt with having COPD, congestive heart failure, and liver issues, among other things, including PTSD after his serving in the Army, for a while, and has not been himself for quite sometime now. After the heart attack on Tuesday night, his liver issues have gotten worse, and his kidneys have shut down. So, him resting will be a good thing.

W**k - Had to go in yesterday, and, we absolutely crushed our sales goal. Had a customer inquire about the cost to redo their kitchen, so, hoping that they decide to go with us. (We do give a deal on multiple items, so, that is a plus in our favor.)

Trains - Nothing to report at all.... Been too busy with other issues to even think about doing much with them. Really starting to get a big itch to do something though.....

Hope al are well, and all enjoy the day.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Saturday, December 31, 2016 9:22 AM

LIONS do not make New Years Resolutions.

Him has enough troubles with Lenten Resolutions.

Now LION will visit the gnu wildebeests.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, December 31, 2016 11:01 AM

LION!

There will be a new subway lion, the Second Avenue Lion, in NYC!

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/31/us/gallery/new-york-second-ave-subway/index.html

It opens with the New Year!

My Mom used to ask what I was giving up for Lent.  Now, remember that 8 year old kids don't have a lot of bad habits to give up, so I told her I was going to give up chewing gum.  I'm not sure that she ever caught on that I never chewed gum in the first place.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by cats think well of me on Saturday, December 31, 2016 12:41 PM

Hi all,

Wishing everyone a good last day of 2016, and a good first day of 2017.

The holidays have been going well. I had off work Christmas Eve and Christmas so I got to enjoy it with my family in the DC area. 

Not much on the MR front, thinking of building a diorama using a pair of 2'x4'x1/2" pieces of plywood left over from cutting plywood to fit a bed-frame. 

Alvie

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Saturday, December 31, 2016 1:31 PM

Good Morning,

I believe tomorrow is BNSF's Birthday. Burlington Northern absorbed Santa Fe on December 31, 1996 to become Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. The new company began on January 1, 1997 to present.  On January 24, 2005, The name was shortened to BNSF Railway.

This is what the BNSF Railway page on Wikipedia says.

Might drop by later.

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Posted by JeremyB on Saturday, December 31, 2016 7:06 PM

Just stopping in to give a quick happy New Years to you guys. I'm starting to get drowsy here on the iPad so will probably be asleep before midnight. I will see you fellas next year.

jeremy 

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Posted by cudaken on Saturday, December 31, 2016 7:30 PM

 Evening Diners

 Flo, Ed and I will have a Party Hat, Royal Crown and I will have a Beer chaser.

 2016 has been a very mixed year for my family. I have a few really good friends step up and give my family what we needed and what I could not have not bought that I wanted. Credit became good again so I could afford getting the fence up and over $2500.00 in car repairs.

 While my health is not great, I am no worse for the wear this year. Only real problem is I am getting older and need a new job. I am sorry to say that I understand how employers look at age. Yep, he is 61 years old, and this person is 30. I wonder who will work for us longer? Confused

 YGW I don't have a smart phone but I beat there is away to change the Photo name. Or if you know how down load the photos on to your home computer. Ask here at the dinner, I bet some one will know!

 Either way YGW I will get your phots and text posted. You know, I bet one of the folks you work with could show you!

 A few YGW pictures.

 

 12/28/16 3 - Footings in the rear . My daughter and I are checking the building line to make sure we are within the set back

 

 12/29/16 4 - View from below the hobby barn.  Looking up towards the pump truck with the "boom" extended

 

 12/29/16 5  - pouring footing in the basement

12/29/16 6 - pouring footings between the garage area and the basement

Trains are running way better than my computer.

 Happy New Years

 Ken

 

 

 

 

I hate Rust

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Posted by der5997 on Saturday, December 31, 2016 9:05 PM

Hello Folks: There's about an hour of 2016 left here. So may I wish you all a very Happy New Year. I'd have been in sooner and more often, but life has caught up with us. Mrs. DER is in the horsespitle recovering from emergency gall bladder surgery. Not exactly fun and certainly not what she was looking for around now. Anyway, may your 2017 be blessed.Angel

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

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Posted by Cederstrand on Saturday, December 31, 2016 10:06 PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR, folks. May 2017 bring you and yours happiness, improved health and fun with trains of all types and sizes.

 Cheers! Cowboy Rob

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